This course is designed for anyone who wants to gain a deeper understanding of Family Historian (FH) - whether you’re relatively new to the software or already using it but keen to get more out of its powerful features. While Family Historian is widely regarded as one of the leading genealogy programmes, it can feel complex and unfamiliar, particularly for those transitioning from other software. This course aims to demystify its structure and help you work with it more confidently and effectively.

Across eight sessions you will explore the core features of the programme, develop good working practices, and learn how to organise and present your research more clearly. 

Week 1: Understanding the Workspace

We begin by exploring the Family Historian workspace, including its unique terminology, layout, and navigation. You’ll learn where to find help, how to set up your system efficiently, and some key principles to guide your work - especially the importance of entering data correctly from the outset. 

Week 2: Adding People and Facts

This session focuses on building your family tree. You’ll learn how to add individuals - ancestors, descendants, and siblings - and how to record events in their lives, including custom events not included in standard lists. 

Week 3: Sources

Good genealogy relies on good sourcing. This week provides an introduction to different types of sources, how to record them, and guidance on choosing appropriate methods for different kinds of information. 

Week 4: Places and Maps

Place names can quickly become inconsistent or confusing without careful management. We’ll look at how to standardise locations (including those outside the UK) and how to use mapping features to visualise your data. 

Week 5: Diagrams and Charts

Discover how to create and customise diagrams and charts to represent your family tree visually. These tools not only help with presentation but also provide an interactive way to explore and expand your data. 

Week 6: Reports

Learn how to generate a variety of reports from your database, tailoring them to suit different audiences and purposes. 

Week 7: Media

An introduction to managing multimedia within Family Historian, including images and other files, and how they can enhance your research.

Week 8: Queries, Plugins and Validation

In the final session, we explore more advanced tools, including queries and plugins, to help you analyse your data and identify inconsistencies - ensuring your research is as accurate and reliable as possible. 

This course only covers the Family Historian software package from Calico Pie. It does not cover any other software packages.  Some experience of using version 7 is recommended. 

• 20% Discount for all Society of Genealogists Members
• Recordings available until 21 September 2026 for everyone who pre-books

Click here for information about our events.  Contact events@sog.org.uk if you have any questions.